Chinese writer and intellectual; author of short stories, poems, essays, and literary criticism; considered the founder of Modern Chinese literature and the representative writer of Socialist Realism; favorite author of Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung)
concerned with the modernization of China; liberation from foreign imperialism; the abandoning of oppressive and superstitious traditions; issues of social and economic justice; the plight of the poor and the peasants; the problems of war, violence and the exploitation of others
born in 1881, into an educated but impoverished Chinese family
attended Sendai Provincial Medical School in Japan (1904); eventually abandoned medicine to pursue writing
his decision to become a writer is said to have been motivated by his horror at seeing images of the execution of a Chinese prisoner during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) and noticing the indifference of a crowd of Chinese onlookers
joined the New Culture Movement in 1918, when he had his famous story "Diary of a Madman" published in New Youth magazine
began to embrace Marxism in the early 1920s, but refused to join it formally
from 1912 to 1926, he held a post in the Ministry of Education in Beijing
wanted by the authorities, in 1926, because of his support for Beijing students' rebellion
founded the magazine The Torrent in 1928
one of the founders of the China League of Left-Wing Writers, which was established in Shanghai in March 1930; remained its chief leader until he died
Chinese literature instructor at National Beijing University (1920-26); also taught at Xiamen University (1927) and University of Canton (1927)
editor of the magazines Benliu in 1928 and Yiwen in 1934
died from tuberculosis on October 19, 1936 in Shanghai
Ideological Foundation
- Lu Xun was an impressively versatile writer. He wrote using both traditional Chinese conventions and the 19th century European literary forms. His style has been described in equally broad terms, converying in both "sympathetic engagement" and "ironic detachment" at differenet moments.
- He tried to bring a revolution in China, but couldn't do it with literature, but rather need "revolutionary men," using force.
- He said, "I feel the so-called Republic of China has ceased to exist. I feel that, before the revolution, I was a slave, but shortly after the revolution, I have been cheated by slaves and have become their slave".
Opposition
The relationship between Lu Xun and the Communist Party of China after the author's death was a complex one. On one hand, Party leaders depicted him as "drawing the blueprint of the communist future". Mao Zedong defined him as the "chief commander of China's cultural revolution," although Lu Xun would never join their party. At the same time, leaders downplayed the influence of the cosmopolitan May Fourth Movement on Lu Xun, in order to try to match Lu Xun with the Party's ostensible support of folk literature and the common people.
Primary Source "Na Han" (Call of Arms)
“For all of ignorant people of a nation, even if their body is somehow strong, somehow grand, even then they can only make meaningless displays [of this "strength"]. [As for] the multitude of constituents and observers, however many may die from [this] sickness, this is [still] not to be considered as unfortunate.”
"As for myself, I no longer feel any great urge to express myself; yet, perhaps because I have not entirely forgotten the grief of my past loneliness. I sometimes call out, to encourage those fighters who are galloping on in loneliness, so that they do not lose heart. Whether my cry is brave or sad, repellent or ridiculous, I do not care. However, since it is a call to arms, I must naturally obey my general's orders. This is why I often resort to innuendoes, as when I made a wreath appear from nowhere at the son's grave in Medicine, while in Tomorrow I did not say that Fourth Shan's Wife had no dreams of her little boy. For our chiefs then were against pessimism. And I, for my part, did not want to infect with the loneliness I had found so bitter those young people who were still dreaming pleasant dreams, just as I had done when young. "
Question: Don't you think it is ironic that anti-governmental writing spurred the new communist government banning anti-governmental writing?
Biographical Information Lu Xun also known as Zhou Shuren was born in Shaoxing in Zhejiang province into an educated yet impoverished gentry family. His grandfather taught him until he was imprisoned
He then went to attend Jiangnan Naval Academy from 1898 to 1899 as well as the School of Railway and Mines from 1899 to 1902 in Nanking. He then went to Japan. After studying Japanese in 1902 and medicine at Sendai Provincial Medical School, he dropped out to focus on writing. He edited the journal New Life and contributed essays to the communist journal Henan.
Zhou Shuren moved back to China in 1909.
He taught in Shaoxing and Hangzhou and joined the ministry of education in Beijing.
He became a Chinese literature instructor at National Beijing University from 1920 to 1926, Xiamen University in 1926, and University of Canton in 1927.
In 1918, Lu Xun published his famous story Diary of a Madman. It included ideas that surrounded the intellectual revolution. The story is about a man who believes that society is a man eating one.
Lu Xun was a founding member and member of several leftist organizations including League of Left-Wing Writers, China Freedom League, and League for the Defense of Civil Rights.
Lu Xun died from sickness. His lungs were greatly weakened by tuberculosis followed by several aftershocks until his death.
Ideological Foundation
Lu Xun wrote primarily of Clearly, Lu Xun was related and favored the Communist Party of China. In the future beyond his death, some claimed that he had “drawing the blueprint of the communist future,” as well as the “chief commander of China’s cultural revolution,” said by Mao Zedong himself. After all, he had become the titular head of the Chinese League of the Left-wing writers in Shanghai, however he had never joined the communist party while many other in this group had joined as high ranking members in the future. Lu Xun was obviously looking for revolution as he had greatly anticipated the 1911 revolution. He wanted radical change and by means of radical change. However he himself had stated that revolutionary writing alone cannot bring about radical change. Rather, revolutionary men are needed to lead a revolution using force. Opposition
The government of the Republic of China had clearly opposed his actions yet were unable to suppress free writing. Ironically, anti-governmental writing would be banned in the communist China that he had been pursuing for. The writings of Lu Xun were primarily around the expelling of corrupt government officials and the socialist equality of people to create equality amongst people. Coming from a family of relative poverty, Lu Xun definitely promoted the strength of the peasants, and so complained about the government; this was evident in the May 4th Movement where several thousands of students from different universities including Peking had rejoined to protest against the weak government and its inability to gain fair provisions in the treaty of Versailles. Any right winged political groups must have also opposed Lu Xun as his writings had pushed for the strengthening of the communist or left wing society.
Primary Source: "Diary of a Madman"
They eat human beings, so they may eat me.
I see that woman's "bite several mouthfuls out of you," the laughter of those green-faced, long-toothed people and the tenant's story the other day are obviously secret signs. I realize all the poison in their speech, all the daggers in their laughter. Their teeth are white and glistening: they are all man-eaters.
It seems to me, although I am not a bad man, ever since I trod on Mr. Ku's accounts it has been touch-and-go. They seem to have secrets which I cannot guess, and once they are angry they will call anyone a bad character. I remember when my elder brother taught me to write compositions, no matter how good a man was, if I produced arguments to the contrary he would mark that passage to show his approval; while if I excused evil-doers, he would say: "Good for you, that shows originality." How can I possibly guess their secret thoughts—especially when they are ready to eat people?
Everything requires careful consideration if one is to understand it. In ancient times, as I recollect, people often ate human beings, but I am rather hazy about it. I tried to look this up, but my history has no chronology, and scrawled all over each page are the words: "Virtue and Morality." Since I could not sleep anyway, I read intently half the night, until I began to see words between the lines, the whole book being filled with the two words—"Eat people."
All these words written in the book, all the words spoken by our tenant, gaze at me strangely with an enigmatic smile.
I too am a man, and they want to eat me!
Hand in for a grade a self-reflection of this activity. Your writing should include the following:
Your question and how some people (3) responded to it.
A brief description of what your learned about at least three other nationalist leaders.
Your thoughts and feelings about your effort and participation in this activity.
Due: At the beginning of your next class.
Reflection:
Normally, my question would have been how had Lu Xun's writings influenced the government's reform to communism. However, after thought, such a factual question would not be able to be answered without research. And so, my question was "How did Lu Xun's own actions spur the communist government banning of free writing?" As known, Lu Xun was argueably one of the most influencial writers of the time in the east, most notably in China. His writings not only modernized but pressured and brought upon change. Jay Ghil, Harin, as well as Megan answered my question similarly. The most accurate answer I found was Harin and she described Lu Xun's free writing during the period of the old Chinese government as opposed to the latter communist government ironic as his own very government-criticizing writing and its strong influence for the reforms was essentially the cause of Mao Ze Dong and the communist party to ban anti-government writing. In that sense, actions performed by Lu Xun and his groups were well considered by the promoting communist party when later banning and observing such opposition to the government. The nationalist's ball activity was overall a positive experience in that I was able to learn and comprehend a lot more about my own person, however I found myself talking a lot about myself while I wasn't able to listen and absorb information from fellow classmates due to time constraints and such. Overall, I was able to participate a lot in the discussions even when it wasn't my turn to speak and found myself related to the topic at hand. I honestly do not think that we needed notes on our person because we had researched the person and so it was retained in my head, but what may have been helpful was some background information at hand on the people around us as much of the time spent discussing certain issues (economy, cultural identity, etc.) was spent giving a background on their respective individuals so that understanding could be more clear. All in all, I think I was able to give the essential points of my hero to the class.
Works Cited
Denton, Kirk A.. "lu xun biography." Modern Chinese Literature and Culture Resource Center; contemporary chinese literature; Chinese film. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2010. <http://mclc.osu.edu/rc/bios/lxbio.htm>.
Biographical information -- Be sure to describe any major events or factors that shaped that person's life. Dates are also of significance.
Lu Xun was a Chinese writer and intellectual. He was considered the founder of Modern Chinese literature and the representative writer of Socialist Realism, which is a style of realistic art that often glorifies the roles of the poor. He was concerned with the modernization of China, its liberation from foreign imperialism, the extensive root of oppressive and superstitious traditions, social issues and economic injustices, the plight of the peasants, the ill effects of violence and the exploitation of others. Lu Xun was also a favorite author of Mao Zedong.
Lu Xun, whose real name is Zhou Shuren, was born in Shaoxing of the Zhejiang province in 1881. He was born into an educated, but poor, gentry class.
His grandfather taught him until he was imprisoned
He then went to attend Jiangnan Naval Academy from 1898 to 1899 as well as the School of Railway and Mines from 1899 to 1902 in Nanking.
In 1902, Lu Xun went to Japan to attend Sendai Provincial Medical School in Japan. In 1904, he abandoned medicine to pursue a career in writing, having been motivated by his horror at seeing images of the execution of a Chinese prisoner during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) and noticing the indifference of a crowd of Chinese onlookers.
He moved back to China in 1909.
He edited the journal New Life and contributed essays to the communist journal Henan.
In 1918, Lu Xun published his famous story Diary of a Madman. It included ideas that surrounded the intellectual revolution. The story is about a man who believes that society is a man eating one.
joined the New Culture Movement in 1918, when he had his famous story "Diary of a Madman" published in New Youth magazine
began to embrace Marxism in the early 1920s, but refused to join it formally
He held the position as the Ministry of Education in Beijing from 1912 to 1926.
He was a Chinese literature instructor at National Beijing University from 1920 to 1926; Xiamen University, 1926; University of Canton, 1927.
From 1926, he was sent on exile for supporting the students’ protest that led to the March 18 Massacre.
He found the magazine The Torrent in 1928.
Lu Xun was one of the founders of the many leftists organizations, such as the China Freedom League, the League for the Defense of Civil Rights, and the League of Left-Wing Writers, with the latter of the three established in Shanghai in March 1930. Lu Xun remained its chief leader until his death in 1936 from tuberculosis.
Lu Xun died from tuberculosis on October 19, 1936.
Their ideological foundation -- What political philosophy were they following? Did they support the notion of an emperor? What was their belief for their country or region's future?
Lu Xun believed in social equality amongst the people of China and, to an extent, agreed to the goals of the Chinese Communist Party. He was against the traditional values held in China, such as Confucianism, and called for the establishment of a new Chinese culture based on global and western standards, specifically democracy and science. Like Japan, he only sought certain aspects, not the entire way, of the West to be incorporated into his vision of a globalized Chinese society. His urge for the rise of China to the same level of development as the nations of the West and his future-orientated view, as opposed to the past, made Lu Xun a formidable force in the May Fourth Movement–part of the New Culture Movement–and in the reconstruction of past Chinese ideals into an egalitarian–relatable to the purest form of Marxist communism–westernized nation.
Who opposed them -- What people or persons would have challenged their beliefs or actions? (Some might even be at the ball).
Opposers of Lu Xun included the conservatives and, later on, the Chinese Communist Party. His push for many reformations to meet up to the standards of the West posed him against those who believed in the retainment of Confucianism. Lu Xun's visible support for such liberal movements such as the May Fourth Movement made him a target of the communist party and, in large, its leader Mao Zedong.
Something should be linked or pasted on the wiki which is a primary source of something that person said or wrote. That document (if it is a document) should not be longer than 500 words.
Six years have slipped by since I came from the country to the capital. During that time I have seen and heard quite enough of so-called affairs of state; but none of them made much impression on me. If asked to define their influence, I can only say they aggravated my ill temper and made me, frankly speaking, more and more misanthropic.
One incident, however, struck me as significant, and aroused me from my ill temper, so that even now I cannot forget it.
It happened during the winter of 1917. A bitter north wind was blowing, but, to make a living, I had to be up and out early. I met scarcely a soul on the road, and had great difficulty in hiring a rickshaw to take me to S—— Gate. Presently the wind dropped a little. By now the loose dust had all been blown away, leaving the roadway clean, and the rickshaw man quickened his pace. We were just approaching S—— Gate when someone crossing the road was entangled in our rickshaw and slowly fell.
It was a woman, with streaks of white in her hair, wearing ragged clothes. She had left the pavement without warning to cut across in front of us, and although the rickshaw man had made way, her tattered jacket, unbuttoned and fluttering in the wind, had caught on the shaft. Luckily the rickshaw man pulled up quickly, otherwise she would certainly have had a bad fall and been seriously injured.
She lay there on the ground, and the rickshaw man stopped. I did not think the old woman was hurt, and there had been no witnesses to what had happened, so I resented this officiousness which might land him in trouble and hold me up.
"It's all right," I said. "Go on."
He paid no attention, however—perhaps he had not heard—for he set down the shafts, and gently helped the old woman to get up. Supporting her by one arm, he asked:
"Are you all right?"
"I'm hurt."
I had seen how slowly she fell, and was sure she could not be hurt. She must be pretending, which was disgusting. The rickshaw man had asked for trouble, and now he had it. He would have to find his own way out.
But the rickshaw man did not hesitate for a minute after the old woman said she was injured. Still holding her arm, he helped her slowly forward. I was surprised. When I looked ahead, I saw a police station. Because of the high wind, there was no one outside, so the rickshaw man helped the old woman towards the gate.
Suddenly I had a strange feeling. His dusty, retreating figure seemed larger at that instant. Indeed, the further he walked the larger he loomed, until I had to look up to him. Ar the same time he seemed gradually to be exerting a pressure on me, which threatened to overpower the small self under my fur-lined gown.
My vitality seemed sapped as I sat there motionless, my mind a blank, until a policeman came out. Then I got down from the rickshaw.
The policeman came up to me, and said, "Get another rickshaw. He can't pull you any more."
Without thinking, I pulled a handful of coppers from my coat pocket and handed them to the policeman. "Please give him these," I said.
The wind had dropped completely, but the road was still quiet. I walked along thinking, but I was almost afraid to turn my thoughts on myself. Setting aside what had happened earlier, what had I meant by that handful of coppers? Was it a reward? Who was I to judge the rickshaw man? I could not answer myself.
Even now, this remains fresh in my memory. It often causes me distress, and makes me try to think about myself. The military and political affairs of those years I have forgotten as completely as the classics I read in my childhood. Yet this incident keeps coming back to me, often more vivid than in actual life, teaching me shame, urging me to reform, and giving me fresh courage and hope.
July 1920
Be sure to cite your sources. Wikipedia cannot be a source for your research.
Denton, Kirk A.. "Lu Xun Biography." Modern Chinese Literature and Culture Resource Center; contemporary chinese literature; Chinese film. MCLC Resource Center, n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <__//http://mclc.osu.edu/rc/bios/lxbio.htm//__>.
Lu Xun
Justin
Biographical Information
Ideological Foundation
- Lu Xun was an impressively versatile writer. He wrote using both traditional Chinese conventions and the 19th century European literary forms. His style has been described in equally broad terms, converying in both "sympathetic engagement" and "ironic detachment" at differenet moments.
- He tried to bring a revolution in China, but couldn't do it with literature, but rather need "revolutionary men," using force.
- He said,
"I feel the so-called Republic of China has ceased to exist. I feel that, before the revolution, I was a slave, but shortly after the revolution, I have been cheated by slaves and have become their slave".
Opposition
The relationship between Lu Xun and the Communist Party of China after the author's death was a complex one. On one hand, Party leaders depicted him as "drawing the blueprint of the communist future". Mao Zedong defined him as the "chief commander of China's cultural revolution," although Lu Xun would never join their party. At the same time, leaders downplayed the influence of the cosmopolitan May Fourth Movement on Lu Xun, in order to try to match Lu Xun with the Party's ostensible support of folk literature and the common people.
Primary Source
"Na Han" (Call of Arms)
“For all of ignorant people of a nation, even if their body is somehow strong, somehow grand, even then they can only make meaningless displays [of this "strength"]. [As for] the multitude of constituents and observers, however many may die from [this] sickness, this is [still] not to be considered as unfortunate.”
"As for myself, I no longer feel any great urge to express myself; yet, perhaps because I have not entirely forgotten the grief of my past loneliness. I sometimes call out, to encourage those fighters who are galloping on in loneliness, so that they do not lose heart. Whether my cry is brave or sad, repellent or ridiculous, I do not care. However, since it is a call to arms, I must naturally obey my general's orders. This is why I often resort to innuendoes, as when I made a wreath appear from nowhere at the son's grave in Medicine, while in Tomorrow I did not say that Fourth Shan's Wife had no dreams of her little boy. For our chiefs then were against pessimism. And I, for my part, did not want to infect with the loneliness I had found so bitter those young people who were still dreaming pleasant dreams, just as I had done when young. "
Work Cited
Nick Yun
Question: Don't you think it is ironic that anti-governmental writing spurred the new communist government banning anti-governmental writing?
Biographical Information
Lu Xun also known as Zhou Shuren was born in Shaoxing in Zhejiang province into an educated yet impoverished gentry family.
His grandfather taught him until he was imprisoned
He then went to attend Jiangnan Naval Academy from 1898 to 1899 as well as the School of Railway and Mines from 1899 to 1902 in Nanking. He then went to Japan. After studying Japanese in 1902 and medicine at Sendai Provincial Medical School, he dropped out to focus on writing. He edited the journal New Life and contributed essays to the communist journal Henan.
Zhou Shuren moved back to China in 1909.
He taught in Shaoxing and Hangzhou and joined the ministry of education in Beijing.
He became a Chinese literature instructor at National Beijing University from 1920 to 1926, Xiamen University in 1926, and University of Canton in 1927.
In 1918, Lu Xun published his famous story Diary of a Madman. It included ideas that surrounded the intellectual revolution. The story is about a man who believes that society is a man eating one.
Lu Xun was a founding member and member of several leftist organizations including League of Left-Wing Writers, China Freedom League, and League for the Defense of Civil Rights.
Lu Xun died from sickness. His lungs were greatly weakened by tuberculosis followed by several aftershocks until his death.
Ideological Foundation
Lu Xun wrote primarily of Clearly, Lu Xun was related and favored the Communist Party of China. In the future beyond his death, some claimed that he had “drawing the blueprint of the communist future,” as well as the “chief commander of China’s cultural revolution,” said by Mao Zedong himself. After all, he had become the titular head of the Chinese League of the Left-wing writers in Shanghai, however he had never joined the communist party while many other in this group had joined as high ranking members in the future. Lu Xun was obviously looking for revolution as he had greatly anticipated the 1911 revolution. He wanted radical change and by means of radical change. However he himself had stated that revolutionary writing alone cannot bring about radical change. Rather, revolutionary men are needed to lead a revolution using force.
Opposition
The government of the Republic of China had clearly opposed his actions yet were unable to suppress free writing. Ironically, anti-governmental writing would be banned in the communist China that he had been pursuing for. The writings of Lu Xun were primarily around the expelling of corrupt government officials and the socialist equality of people to create equality amongst people. Coming from a family of relative poverty, Lu Xun definitely promoted the strength of the peasants, and so complained about the government; this was evident in the May 4th Movement where several thousands of students from different universities including Peking had rejoined to protest against the weak government and its inability to gain fair provisions in the treaty of Versailles. Any right winged political groups must have also opposed Lu Xun as his writings had pushed for the strengthening of the communist or left wing society.
Primary Source: "Diary of a Madman"
They eat human beings, so they may eat me.
I see that woman's "bite several mouthfuls out of you," the laughter of those green-faced, long-toothed people and the tenant's story the other day are obviously secret signs. I realize all the poison in their speech, all the daggers in their laughter. Their teeth are white and glistening: they are all man-eaters.
It seems to me, although I am not a bad man, ever since I trod on Mr. Ku's accounts it has been touch-and-go. They seem to have secrets which I cannot guess, and once they are angry they will call anyone a bad character. I remember when my elder brother taught me to write compositions, no matter how good a man was, if I produced arguments to the contrary he would mark that passage to show his approval; while if I excused evil-doers, he would say: "Good for you, that shows originality." How can I possibly guess their secret thoughts—especially when they are ready to eat people?
Everything requires careful consideration if one is to understand it. In ancient times, as I recollect, people often ate human beings, but I am rather hazy about it. I tried to look this up, but my history has no chronology, and scrawled all over each page are the words: "Virtue and Morality." Since I could not sleep anyway, I read intently half the night, until I began to see words between the lines, the whole book being filled with the two words—"Eat people."
All these words written in the book, all the words spoken by our tenant, gaze at me strangely with an enigmatic smile.
I too am a man, and they want to eat me!
Hand in for a grade a self-reflection of this activity. Your writing should include the following:
Reflection:
Normally, my question would have been how had Lu Xun's writings influenced the government's reform to communism. However, after thought, such a factual question would not be able to be answered without research. And so, my question was "How did Lu Xun's own actions spur the communist government banning of free writing?" As known, Lu Xun was argueably one of the most influencial writers of the time in the east, most notably in China. His writings not only modernized but pressured and brought upon change. Jay Ghil, Harin, as well as Megan answered my question similarly. The most accurate answer I found was Harin and she described Lu Xun's free writing during the period of the old Chinese government as opposed to the latter communist government ironic as his own very government-criticizing writing and its strong influence for the reforms was essentially the cause of Mao Ze Dong and the communist party to ban anti-government writing. In that sense, actions performed by Lu Xun and his groups were well considered by the promoting communist party when later banning and observing such opposition to the government. The nationalist's ball activity was overall a positive experience in that I was able to learn and comprehend a lot more about my own person, however I found myself talking a lot about myself while I wasn't able to listen and absorb information from fellow classmates due to time constraints and such. Overall, I was able to participate a lot in the discussions even when it wasn't my turn to speak and found myself related to the topic at hand. I honestly do not think that we needed notes on our person because we had researched the person and so it was retained in my head, but what may have been helpful was some background information at hand on the people around us as much of the time spent discussing certain issues (economy, cultural identity, etc.) was spent giving a background on their respective individuals so that understanding could be more clear. All in all, I think I was able to give the essential points of my hero to the class.
Works Cited
Denton, Kirk A.. "lu xun biography." Modern Chinese Literature and Culture Resource Center; contemporary chinese literature; Chinese film. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2010. <http://mclc.osu.edu/rc/bios/lxbio.htm>.
"Diary of a Madman, Lu Xun." Fajardo-Acosta.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2010. <http://fajardo-acosta.com/worldlit/luxun/diary.htm>.
"Lu Xun." Fajardo-Acosta.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2010. <http://fajardo-acosta.com/worldlit/luxun/>.
name:. "Lu Xun - Lu Hsün." www.kirjasto.sci.fi . N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2010. <http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/luxun.htm>.
Hyun Woo Kim
His grandfather taught him until he was imprisoned
He then went to attend Jiangnan Naval Academy from 1898 to 1899 as well as the School of Railway and Mines from 1899 to 1902 in Nanking.
Lu Xun believed in social equality amongst the people of China and, to an extent, agreed to the goals of the Chinese Communist Party. He was against the traditional values held in China, such as Confucianism, and called for the establishment of a new Chinese culture based on global and western standards, specifically democracy and science. Like Japan, he only sought certain aspects, not the entire way, of the West to be incorporated into his vision of a globalized Chinese society. His urge for the rise of China to the same level of development as the nations of the West and his future-orientated view, as opposed to the past, made Lu Xun a formidable force in the May Fourth Movement–part of the New Culture Movement–and in the reconstruction of past Chinese ideals into an egalitarian–relatable to the purest form of Marxist communism–westernized nation.
Opposers of Lu Xun included the conservatives and, later on, the Chinese Communist Party. His push for many reformations to meet up to the standards of the West posed him against those who believed in the retainment of Confucianism. Lu Xun's visible support for such liberal movements such as the May Fourth Movement made him a target of the communist party and, in large, its leader Mao Zedong.
Six years have slipped by since I came from the country to the capital. During that time I have seen and heard quite enough of so-called affairs of state; but none of them made much impression on me. If asked to define their influence, I can only say they aggravated my ill temper and made me, frankly speaking, more and more misanthropic.
One incident, however, struck me as significant, and aroused me from my ill temper, so that even now I cannot forget it.
It happened during the winter of 1917. A bitter north wind was blowing, but, to make a living, I had to be up and out early. I met scarcely a soul on the road, and had great difficulty in hiring a rickshaw to take me to S—— Gate. Presently the wind dropped a little. By now the loose dust had all been blown away, leaving the roadway clean, and the rickshaw man quickened his pace. We were just approaching S—— Gate when someone crossing the road was entangled in our rickshaw and slowly fell.
It was a woman, with streaks of white in her hair, wearing ragged clothes. She had left the pavement without warning to cut across in front of us, and although the rickshaw man had made way, her tattered jacket, unbuttoned and fluttering in the wind, had caught on the shaft. Luckily the rickshaw man pulled up quickly, otherwise she would certainly have had a bad fall and been seriously injured.
She lay there on the ground, and the rickshaw man stopped. I did not think the old woman was hurt, and there had been no witnesses to what had happened, so I resented this officiousness which might land him in trouble and hold me up.
"It's all right," I said. "Go on."
He paid no attention, however—perhaps he had not heard—for he set down the shafts, and gently helped the old woman to get up. Supporting her by one arm, he asked:
"Are you all right?"
"I'm hurt."
I had seen how slowly she fell, and was sure she could not be hurt. She must be pretending, which was disgusting. The rickshaw man had asked for trouble, and now he had it. He would have to find his own way out.
But the rickshaw man did not hesitate for a minute after the old woman said she was injured. Still holding her arm, he helped her slowly forward. I was surprised. When I looked ahead, I saw a police station. Because of the high wind, there was no one outside, so the rickshaw man helped the old woman towards the gate.
Suddenly I had a strange feeling. His dusty, retreating figure seemed larger at that instant. Indeed, the further he walked the larger he loomed, until I had to look up to him. Ar the same time he seemed gradually to be exerting a pressure on me, which threatened to overpower the small self under my fur-lined gown.
My vitality seemed sapped as I sat there motionless, my mind a blank, until a policeman came out. Then I got down from the rickshaw.
The policeman came up to me, and said, "Get another rickshaw. He can't pull you any more."
Without thinking, I pulled a handful of coppers from my coat pocket and handed them to the policeman. "Please give him these," I said.
The wind had dropped completely, but the road was still quiet. I walked along thinking, but I was almost afraid to turn my thoughts on myself. Setting aside what had happened earlier, what had I meant by that handful of coppers? Was it a reward? Who was I to judge the rickshaw man? I could not answer myself.
Even now, this remains fresh in my memory. It often causes me distress, and makes me try to think about myself. The military and political affairs of those years I have forgotten as completely as the classics I read in my childhood. Yet this incident keeps coming back to me, often more vivid than in actual life, teaching me shame, urging me to reform, and giving me fresh courage and hope.
July 1920